Last place rocks, for the record

DELAYED RECORD: Madeline Nilon, 14, Trinity head swimming coach Ken Malcolm, Georgia Callaghan, 15, Karla Gilmore, 15, and Samantha McKenna, 15, found out by mail last week that they had broken a state relay swimming record at the State Age Championships at Sydney Olympic Aquatic Park in January.

IT IS often said that winning isn't everything, and that was certainly the case for the relay team from Trinity Catholic College.

Crossing the line last as the youngest team in an all-ages state championship event meant a NSW record.

Madeline Nilon, Georgia Callaghan, Karla Gilmore and Samantha McKenna, swam the 400m freestyle relay faster than any 13-14-year-old team in NSW history at the State Age Championships at Sydney Olympic Aquatic Park, Homebush, in January.

But at the time no one noticed. Not until the times were entered into the Swimming NSW database.

Then last month the girls received certificates in the mail informing them their time of 4.22.52 had secured them a new state record.

Head coach Ken Malcolm said even he didn't realise they'd broken the record but he was proud of his swimmers who'd trained hard for the titles.

"They're great kids," he said. "Sam's a very good breaststroker, Georgia's going to be a really good butterflier, Mads is a really good butterflier and backstroker and Karla's a really good backstroker, freestyler and flier."